2026 regulation year
St. Joe River (above the North Fork St. Joe) 2026 — Idaho Fishing Regulations
Idaho statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
St. Joe River (above the North Fork St. Joe) carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Idaho's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Wild westslope-cutthroat fly water (the 'St. Joe') above the North Fork confluence: trout limit 6 but NO harvest of cutthroat (red/orange-slash trout), no bait, barbless hooks.
Source: Idaho special-water list
Official source
Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) publishes the authoritative 2026 Idaho fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Idaho fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Idaho Department of Fish and Game's emergency-order feed — check it before any Idaho trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Idaho
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at St. Joe River (above the North Fork St. Joe)?
- St. Joe River (above the North Fork St. Joe) carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Idaho's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "Wild westslope-cutthroat fly water (the 'St. Joe') above the North Fork confluence: trout limit 6 but NO harvest of cutthroat (red/orange-slash trout), no bait, barbless hooks." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish St. Joe River (above the North Fork St. Joe)?
- Yes. St. Joe River (above the North Fork St. Joe) is in Idaho, so a valid Idaho fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for St. Joe River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Idaho rules.
- Do St. Joe River (above the North Fork St. Joe)'s special rules replace Idaho's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Idaho's statewide 2026 regulations apply on St. Joe River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.